Asbestos fact sheet

Asbestos is found in 1 in 3 homes across Australia

If your home was built before 1990, it could contain asbestos.  Asbestos can be found throughout the home, in walls, bathrooms, ceilings, floors, laundries, kitchens, roofs, fences and garages. Asbestos is dangerous when damaged, disturbed or deteriorating so you shouldn't remove it yourself. Four times more people die from asbestos related diseases annually than on our roads. If you suspect that you have asbestos in your home, it's important to have it removed safely and legally.

Removal and disposal of asbestos

We strongly recommend that you use a licensed asbestos removalist to safely remove and dispose of asbestos. Under health and safety laws, more than 10m2 of any asbestos must be removed by a licensed asbestos removalist.  If you do it yourself, follow strict safety precautions and use protective gear (PPE) through removal, disposal and decontamination.  

Asbestos waste must only be disposed of at a landfill that’s licensed to accept it.  You can be fined for putting asbestos of any quantity into your kerbside bin. NSW waste facilities that accept household asbestos from the public are listed on the EPA website

Householders who transport their own household asbestos waste themselves are to use the disposing of household asbestos form to report the movement of asbestos waste to the EPA. This form should be submitted within 24 hours after the asbestos load has been delivered to the receiving facility.

Residents should follow the NSW EPA guidelines when dealing with asbestos in and around their home.

For more information on asbestos:

  • Asbestos in NSW
  • See SafeWork NSW for work health and safety requirements. Council staff must also follow the requirements of the Council’s safety framework.